Vacuum cleaner



A Dec, 16, 1924.

1,519,822 C. W. DAVIS VACUUM CLEANER Filed Feb. 21, 1922 4 sheets-sheet1 Dec. 16, 1924. y1,519,822

c. w. DAvls VACUUM CLEANER Filed Feb. 21 1922 4 sheets-sheet 2 lm "midHo: uut? Dec. 16, 1924. V1,519,822

c. w. DAvls VACUUM CLEANER Filed Feb. 2l, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 W- qu lw n 1 N W NN glvwcuo MMM Dec,` 16, 1924. l,519,822

v C. W. DAVIS VACUUM CLEANER Filed Feb. 2l, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Patented Dec. i6, 1924.

CHARLES W. DAVIS, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNO'R T0 THETORRINGTON COMPANY, F TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OFCONNECTICUT.

'VACUUM CLEANER.

Application filed February 21, 1922. Serial No. 538,332.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES WV. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Torrington, in the county of Litchfield,

State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Vacuum Cleaners, of which the following is 4a description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing and to the iigures of referencemarked thereon.

My invention relates to improvements in the vacuum cleaner shown in thepatent to Quiet` and Anderson, No. 1,258,811, dated March 12, 1918.

rlhe objects of the invention are to improve the lower edges of the lipsof the nozzle so that as the machine is moved back and forth over the`floor-covering `and the suction draws the covering upwardly against'.

the nozzle and into the same a wave-like mation will be imparted to thecovering and permit the air to pass intermittently through the coveringand then overy it in order to loosen any dirt that has become embedded 2therein; also to provide a nozzle that may be readily removed from themotor casing to permit one of a di'erent type to be attached; also toprovide the motor casingr with front ground wheels independent of thesuction nozzle but adapted to drive the rotary brush of the said nozzle;also to provid a novel mechanism for securing either nozzle to the motorcasing; also to provide adjustable cranked bars across the mouth of thefloor-engaging nozzle; also to reverse the directionof the rotary brushand increase the speed thereof. y

rlhese objects I can accomplishby the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a central verticallongitudinal section through the improved vacuum cleaner;

Fig. 2 is a front view partly in section, the brush being omitted; j

Fig. 3 is a plan open front portion of the casing, the lnozzle beingremoved;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the main suc-` tion nozzle; j y.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectionalyiew of the mouth of the main suction nozzleto better show the adjustable nozZIe wire or crank;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing the hose attaching nozzle inplace on the wheeled suction casing, and

Fig. 7 is a detail section to better show the connection between the bowspring and the axle bar. f

The fan and motor casing l is provided with the usual exhaust 2. Thefront of the casing 1 is provided with a flat machined face 8 having acircular inlet Yopening 4 and centering pins 5, 6 above and below theopenlng.

An adjusting ground wheel 7 is mounted at the rear of the motor end ofcasing 1,

while two ground wheels 8, 8 are mounted on the end of an axle 9slidingly mounted at its ends in the depending slotted lugs 10, 10 of anaxle carrying channel bar 11 provided at the rear of its central archedportion 12 with a vertically disposed att-aching member 13 secured tothe l lower end of the front face of casing 1 by means of two screws 14passing through two vertical slots 14'; the top straight edge 15 of thisattaching member forming a seat or restv for the suction nozzle, to bepresently described. An intermediate slot .142 receives aA thirdcentering pin 143 below pin 6-vertical adjustment of the axle bar isthus provided for. v

rlhe lower end of the attaching member 13 is provided with twohorizontal aligned` apertures 16, 16 into which fit two rivets 18, 18extending through the straight middle portion of a bowed spring 17, theends of which spring project forwardly and are formed with openlongitudinal 'slots 19, 19' which straddle flattened p'ortions 20, 20adjacent the ends of the axle 9. The axle 9 is thus held from turningand is at the same time pressed forwardly in the slotted bearings 10, 10of the axle carrying bar 11. y

A clamping shaft 21v provided at one end with a handle 21 is mounted inyielding half-bearings 22, 22 formed in the upper ends of two superposedlil-shaped. bearing plates 23, v23 of springy material secured to I fancasing is free -to be edges of the plates 23 are recessed at 25 to avoidcontact with the heads of the pins 18 on slpring 17. The shaft 21 isoilset or cranke between its ends as shown at yi6 to form a cam-likeclamping bar or eccentric to clamp the lower end of one of the nozzlesto be presently described, against the front of casing 1,; a turn buttonor the like 27 being pivoted at the upper portlon of the casing front toclamp the upper end of the nozzle to the casing front.` So far asdescribed, it .will be seen that the motor or moved along the ioor whileresting on the front and rear ground wheels regardless of which form ofnozzle may be employed.

The main or wide floor engagmg nozzle 30 is providedwith a brush 31 asin the patent "above referred to, and it also has drive wheels 32mounted in separate chambers 33 at the ends of the lower-open end ormouth of the nozzle as in said patent.

There is, however, a second or driven wheel 34 for each drive wheel 32,which "drlven wheels 34 are rotated by contacting with the l largerperipheries of the spring pressed i nozzle 30 has a central *nozzle isslightly ground cause the brush 31 to be driven at a much greater speedand also reverses the direction of rotation of the brush 31 and cause itto sweep the dirt rearwardly into the path of the air current, and Ifind the result to be a great improvement. The rear side of the outletneckv terminating in a fiat vertical attaching plate 35, machined toclosely t the similar face at the front of the casing 1. The upper andlower edges of the plate or flange 35 have open slots 36, 37 to receivethe pins 5 and 6, respectively, and the lower horizontal edge 38 of .theange 35 rests upon the straight edge 15 of the bar 11 directly behindthe crank 26 so that when the crank 26 is moved by the handle 21 againstthe lower side of the flange or plate 35, and the turn button or latch27 is turned into engagement with the upper recessed end of the plate oriange 35, the nozzle will be held in airtight engagement with theSuction side of casing 1.

The longitudinal edges of the lower open end of the nozzle-30 are curvedon arcs of a circle as at^^38 and 39, beginnin about a half inch fromeach end and the l(height of the arc 38 on the front lip or edge oftherear lip 39. The o ject in thus forming the lower edges of the nozzlelipsis as follows When the cleaner is moved over a rug, carpet-or otherHoor-coverin the suction pulls the floor-covering away 4 rom the oor andholds it close against the lower end of the nozzle. Itl also' draws theHoor-covering up l into the nozzle between the front and-.rear

edges. As the brush revolves it tends to push the carpet or the likeawaykfrom thewheels 8, 8. These driven wheels 34.

eater than that onvthe= nozzle, rent created by the fan to ow over'thecarpet. This is repeated continuously as the cleaner is moved back andforth with the result that the rug or carpet will beconstantly worked upand down and the air will be intermittently drawn therethrough and thenover it. The wave-like action of the rug or carpet tendsto loosen anydirt that has become embedded in the same, so a better cleaningresultsthan would be the case where the lower edges of the nozzle lips arestraight.

In order to regulate the upward movement of the carpet or the like intothe nozzle, two or more transverse cranked nozzle bars or rods 45, 45are journaled at their ends in thus allowing the entering aircurbearings 46, 46, in the lower portions' of the r and so limit thedistance the material may .x

be sucked upwardly into the nozzle toward the brush, said ends 47 havingcollars 49, 49 at the inner ends of their bearings against which thecollars are drawn by the clamping l nuts 48.

In order that a hose and attachments (not shown) may be employed, asecond nozzle 50 is employed, this nozzle having an attaching an'ge 51which is the counterpart of that on the main or lloor engaging nozzle.With this nozzle 50 in place, the cleaner may be moved from place toplace as the casing has the front and rear ground. wheels attachedthereto no matter which nozzle may be employed.

When the main nozzle is clamped in position, its brush driving wheels34. will be brou ht into contact with the ground whee s 8, 8 so that thebrush will be rapidlyI rotated t`o the rear. This has proved to be ahighly valuable feature las it allows of the employment of a brush inthe type of machine having movable and interchangefan casing.

Various modications may be made without departing `from the spirit of myinvention. IThe' motor and fan may be of any suitable construction andform no part of my present invention. l

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desiretosecure by Letters-Patent, is z- 1. A vacuum cleaner comprising a mainsuction casing having an inlet at its front, a motor driven pump,interchangeable door ablenozzles, and front ground wheels on the andhose nozzles adapted .tube Swud in -13.0l

`axially rotatable cranked nozzle bars extending transversely across themouth of the nozzle below the brush, and means for ad- ,l justing thecranks individually toward and from the brush and mouth of the nozzle.

3. ln a vacuum cleaner, the combination with a main suction casinghaving ground wheels supported thereby, of a suction nozzle; transversenozzle bars journaled at their ends to rotate in the .mouth of thenozzle, cranked between their ends within the mouth of the nozzle andthreaded at their rear ends to hold the rods in their adjustedpositions, and clamping nuts on said threaded ends.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, asuction casing having a flat front providedwith an inlet opening, a transverse shaft journaled on the casing belowsaid opening and oflset between its ends to form a cam-likeflange-engaging clamp, and a' second flange-engaging clamping meansabove the said opening whereby nozzles having like attaching anges maybe removably secured to said casing.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a suction casing having a flat front faceprovided with an inlet opening, a transverse shaft below'said opening,yielding bearings on the casing for said shaft; the shaft being offsetbetween the bearings to form a cam-like ange-engaging clamp, and asecond clamping member on' said front face above the inlet opening.

6. ln a vacuum cleaner, a suction casing having a flat front, faceprovided with an inletopening, upper and lower nozzle clamping deviceson -said front face, a transverse axle bar secured at its middle to thelower portion of said front face, and having slotted ears at its ends,an axle mounted at its ends in said bearing slots, ground wheels on theouter ends of the axle, a bowed spring secured at ,its middle to themiddle of the axle bar and forked at its ends to straddle the axle andpress it forwardly; the axle and said forked ends being shaped toprevent rotation of the axle. A

7. ln a vacuum cleaner, a suction casing having a flat front face, andan inlet opening, a removable flanged .nozzle to register with saidinlet openin an axle bar bol between its ends tothe ower portion of saidfront face, and having slotted bearings at its ends, an axle mounted insaid bearings, a bowed spring removably engaged between its ends withthe outer face of the axle bar, and at its ends engaging the axle topress it forwardly, bearing plates at the outer side of the spring, asingle set of screws securing the bearing plates, spring and axle bar`to the front face of the casing; the upper ends of the bearing platesbeing formed with bearings, a clamp shaft journaled in said bearings andoffset between its ends to receive and bind a nozzle flange against thefront face of the casing, and a second upper clamping device above theinlet opening.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination with a suction casing having aninlet openmg, casing aro-und its inlet'opening, a shaft having a camforming portion to force the nozzle flange firmly against the suctioncasing,

a nozzle having a flange engaging thel yielding bearings for said shaftto force it towards the suction casing, and a second clamping means onthe suction casing and engaging the nozzle flange at a different pointfrom that engaged by the odset shaft.

9. lin a vacuum cleaner, the combination v with a suction casing havinga flat front face provided with an inlet opening and centering pinsabove and below said opening, a pivoted turn button above the opening,and a cam forming clamping shaft below said opening, of a nozzle havingan attaching flange adapted to be clamped to the said front face bysaidclamping devices and provided with recesses to engage the saidcentering pins.

10. in a vacuum cleaner, the combination with the suction casingprovided at its front with an inlet opening and flange engaging clampingdevices, an axle bar secured between the ends to the lower portion ofsaid suction casing, and having slotted bearings at its ends, an axlemounted in said slotted bearings and having Hattened portions, groundwheels on the ends of the axle, spring arms pressing the axle forwardlyand having forked ends embracing the flattened portions thereof, of asuction nozzle danged at its inner end for clamping engagement by saidclamping devices and provided with a rotary brush in its mouth anddriven from said ground wheels.

ll. lin a vacuum cleaner, the combination with the suction casingprovided with a front inlet opening, a removable suction nozzleregistering with said inlet opening, a rotary brush mounted in the mouthof said suction nozzle and drive wheels at the ends ofthe shaft, of anaxle bar secured to the front of the casing below and independent of thesuction nozzle, an axle mounted in the ends ofl the axle bar and havingHattened portions near its ends, ground wheels on thel 13oA l its endsto the axle bar and having forked ends engaging the-attened portions ofthe axle to prevent its turning; said spring yielding rearwardly whenthe nozzle is applied to the casing with its brush actuating wheelsengaging said ground wheel.

12. In a vacuum cleaner, the combmatmn with a mam suction caslng, of asuctlon nozzle formed of rigid material and having its lower edgescurved on arcs of circles 38, 39, 10 the heightl of the arc 38 on thefront edge being greater than that on the rear edge.

In testimony whereof, I aixmy signature.

CHARLES w. Davis.

